


You're Dressed To Kill And Guess Who's Dying...

by flickawhip



Series: CrossedBarriers - Telford/Naeher [1]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22187440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flickawhip/pseuds/flickawhip
Summary: Alyssa and Carly finally talk.AU as heck from actual life but oh well. Enjoy!
Relationships: Alyssa Naeher/Carly Telford
Series: CrossedBarriers - Telford/Naeher [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1597147
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16





	You're Dressed To Kill And Guess Who's Dying...

At first Carly had ever only thought of Alyssa as ‘the enemy’, someone to be beaten by her teammates, someone who had to fail when she didn’t. She had found it harder than she expected to keep up to the pace of the other team, finding herself watching Alyssa carefully each time someone had a shot on Alyssa’s goal. Not many got in, one had. One less than she missed. The result had hurt and Carly had found herself walking away alone, not caring who saw her leave. 

She had, of course, had to accept the invite to the finishing party, dragged into it by her friends. She hadn’t wanted to. She already hated that she had missed saving the winning goal, she didn’t need to see the girls who had succeeded where she failed. 

Her protests had died in her throat the second she caught sight of Alyssa, Naeher. The other goalie. Despite everything she had found that she wanted, more than she had even thought possible, to push the messy hair out of Alyssa’s eyes. Alyssa had clearly come prepared for the party, dressed in a near skin-tight playsuit that flattered her shape and made Carly ache to be closer. 

She had pulled away from the group around her at last, smoothing down her pale purple dress and hiding her thoughts behind the hair that drifted into her eyes, hiding a lot of what she was feeling where her eyes gave her away. She had ordered her drink, sipping carefully and trying to regain some control, even when half of her wanted to run away, to pretend she wasn’t feeling something. 

“Hi…”

The voice breaks through even though she doesn’t want to respond, she finds herself glancing sideways, a slight, almost embarrassed, smile pulling at her lips, her voice somewhat weaker than she wanted. 

“Hi.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah… no… I…”

Carly fell silent and shrugged. 

“I’ll be okay, it just… This should have been Jill’s win.”

“She did pretty good.”

“Yeah? You guys did better.”

Alyssa’s laugh had been surprising, genuine and light. 

“You really can’t take a compliment, can you?”   
“Yeah well… I’m not used to…”

“Shame.”

Carly, struck dumb enough that she forgot how to really speak, had shrugged. 

“It happens…”

“It shouldn’t.”

The sudden anger in Alyssa’s tone catches Carly’s attention and she can’t help but glance at her again, her voice light. 

“I really will be fine…”

“You are fine.”

Alyssa’s words come as a burst of words, almost a flurry. 

“What?”

Carly can’t help sounding surprised. She’s used to being the one who gets ignored, the one nobody really looks at. 

“I…”

Alyssa’s blushing now and Carly finds herself smiling, nudging her lightly. 

“You’re cute all blushy, Naeher.”

“Yeah? You’re cute all tearful, Telford… it’s honestly unfair.”

Alyssa knows she’s risking a lot now but she’s tired of watching Carly across the pitch and wanting to be closer. She wants this, closeness, friendship. Something. Anything. She’ll take whatever she can get. 

“Flirt.”

“Now who is blushing?”

“Tease.”

“True. Worth it.”

Alyssa’s grinning now, charmed by Carly’s flustered blush and giggling. 

“Look, we’ve both had enough right?”

“Of what?”

“What do you think?”

“Being alone? The Party? Who knows…”

“Maybe it’s both.”

“What?”

“Don’t… don’t make me say it again.”

“So… I’m going to go let the girls know I’m going home.”

Carly’s almost smirking now, amused at Alyssa’s mild blush and nerves. 

“Up to you if you follow.”

She walks away, says her goodbyes, ignoring the chorus of protest and smirking when Alyssa joins her, heading outside and feeling a clear swell of panic and hope meet her. She’s been obvious, for the first time. It feels like a risk. It’s not that easy, being proud, especially around people like Phil Neville. She knows she’s gone quiet. She can only hope Alyssa doesn’t notice. 

“What are you thinking?”

The question breaks her thoughts again and she glances at Alyssa, then away, shaking her head. 

“It’s stupid.”

“If it’s worrying you, then it’s not stupid.”

“No. It really is…”

“Tell me anyway?”

“I just…”

Carly pauses, considers her answer, wondering if she’s strong enough to be honest and not run away this time. She remembers clearly enough the time she ran away when she and Jill had been discussing exes. She had broken off, falling silent, then run. Embarrassed to have let her guard down. The panic had won that time. She didn’t want it to win again. She wanted to be brave. 

“It’s hard… being…”

She pauses, sighs, hating herself for the tears in her eyes. 

“It’s hard being honest, especially when half the team think I should find ‘Mr Right’… how the hell do I tell them it’s not Mr…”

“You don’t have to…”

“They saw us… just now.”

“And? You think they won’t understand?”

“Maybe…”

Alyssa sighs, biting her lip as she thinks, then speaks frankly. 

“Yeah, I know that worry…. I was nervous the first time I was… open… with my team. None of them have judged me. Some even followed me out the closet…”

“That’s… different.”

Carly hates herself for the anger that comes into her voice now, breaking her words off sharply. 

“My team is… very straight.”

“They won’t care. Really. They won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“You really think I just… took my shot without help?”

“What?”

“Your team cares so much about you… Scott and Houghton sent me to you…”

“Why?”

“Guess our teams got fed up watching us play insta-tag and hide from each other when we really want something else…”

“I…”

Carly’s voice cracks slightly, even as she pushes the words out. 

“I didn’t know…”

“Surprise?”

Alyssa teases lightly, smiling when Carly laughs, shaking her head as she wipes her eyes again. 

“I swear I don’t usually…”

“Shhh, it’s okay.”

Alyssa smiles, taking Carly’s hand somewhat tentatively. 

“It’s okay.”

She repeats the words, squeezing Carly’s hand lightly. 

“We’ve already talked about this Telford.”

She’s teasing and her smile is light. 

“Just because we’re on different teams doesn’t mean we can’t be friends… if that’s what you want…”

“What if…”

Carly’s words fade and Alyssa smiles. 

“What if what?”

“I…”

Carly falters and Alyssa finally pulls her to a stop, turning her to face her properly. 

“Say it.”

“I can’t.”

Alyssa smiles then, lightly, and moves to kiss Carly, smirking when Carly lets out a soft noise of surprise before leaning into it a little more. Alyssa had smiled and pulled back only when she was sure that Carly was ready to speak. 

“How about now?”

“What if I want more… of that.”

“That?”

Carly pauses, bites her lip, then speaks firmly, taking control for once. 

“What if I want more than friendship? What if I…”

She pauses again, then speaks a little more honestly. 

“What if I love you?”

“I love you too.”

Alyssa speaks honestly, smiling and taking Carly’s hand again. 

“Now… home?”

“Home.”

Carly agreed, leading Alyssa back to the house she had been renting with several of her teammates, glad that at last she didn’t have to worry.


End file.
